It's currently illegal for civilians to utilize tear-gas contained within canisters or within paintballs (Learned this from CNN, so don't take it as grunted truth). Don't know about the pens, but if it's legal at all, it would almost certainly be a state-to-state issue

Every gun show we have people selling both CS and pepper sprays in keychain containers or "easy pocket size." I prefer to carry pepper spray, mostly in case of a dog going after my dog. I don't believe either one is illegal in Indiana. Capsicum pepper spray is as good or better than CS anyway, so if you can't use "tear gas" see about the pepper.

At first, people were content with 5% pepper, then the standard "load" went to 10%, which is what mine carry. Lately I've seen some at 15%, but some of the delivery systems are chintzy. If it ain't reliable, what good is it?

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T. Jefferson: "[When doing Constitutional interpretation], let us [go] back to the time when [it] was adopted. [Rather than] invent a meaning [let us] conform to the probable one in which it was passed."

There really are very few laws that prevent the use of tear gas, either CS or CN or OC pepper spray. There are laws such as in New York that limit from whom you may purchase these products from. New York requires purchases from a licensed gun dealer or a pharmacist. New York also requires a "license" to possess pepper spray. But, as far as I know, possession is not prohibited in any state in the canister form. Some states such as California ban the use of any device that shoots a projectile containing tear gas. Some don't. Michigan requires their own "formulation" which is typical of most pepper spray formulations. They also allow CS tear gas and OC combinations.

In California the law is written and refers to the generic term "tear gas" but does not attempt to define chemically what kind "tear gas" is acceptable or not acceptable.

Again, I'm not aware of restrictions on the use of "tear gas" such as CS or CN in canister, pen, or tube form.

If gun control stops crime, why does Washington D.C. have the highest murder rate?

A "pen-gun" which can ONLY accept tear gas cartridges (no fixed ammunition) is not a firearm according to Federal Law, it would simply be a tear gas discharger. If however it can chamber a fixed cartridge it is a firearm, specifically an "Any Other Weapon" and subject to the National Firearms Act, including the usual taxes and registration. State laws on thse tear gas dischargers are ALL OVER the place and you'd have to check to see if these are legal where you reside.

Mark --I have a memory of reading advertising for one of these pen guns that claimed it was NOT restricted. The claim may appear on one of their web sites. The Stinger is one of only a couple of firms that still makes these, so I assume it might be them. I suppose if your FFL will order one for you and let you buy it, it must be okay.

Life NRA Member

T. Jefferson: "[When doing Constitutional interpretation], let us [go] back to the time when [it] was adopted. [Rather than] invent a meaning [let us] conform to the probable one in which it was passed."

vackman -- Me too. If I had known it would go that cheap. Interesting collectible. I wonder if it was junk or decently made. And I wonder if those gas things were really tear gas, or propellant. It could be you couldn't get the refills anymore.

Life NRA Member

T. Jefferson: "[When doing Constitutional interpretation], let us [go] back to the time when [it] was adopted. [Rather than] invent a meaning [let us] conform to the probable one in which it was passed."

The tear gas cartridges for the Penguin were filled with some sort of powder, the only thing it would do is burn your eyes and blow away if there were any wind. Any attacker that would be stopped by the "payload" these carried could be stopped by yelling boo. The flares they sold had a nasty habit of exploding.production of these was halted when it was found that it was quite easy to use an expended cartridge (or make a new 'barrel') in 22lr or 25 acpA More effective tear gas projector is a water gun filled with filtered Red hot Sauce (especially a battery operated water gun) , keeps dogs and all sorts of vermin well away as that stuff burns as bad as anything could

Offeror, there is a company out there, sorry but I can't remember the name (the gun was designed by a fellow named Ray Bravermen), that does make an un restricted pen-gun. The way he acomplished this was quite inovative: The pen-gun appears to be a regular pen, but when it is fired you bend the gun into a conventional pistol shape: a barrel with a grip at a right angle to the bore. By doing this it manages to become nothing more than an ordinary single shot pistol and avoids the NFA restictions. There are people out there who collect these pen-guns, although the market for such items seems to be rather limited.

The most famous of the production pen-guns were the MAC "Stingers" which were marketed during the early 1970's. These were about 3" long, mostly black in color (a few were golden "lady's" models), and came with a leather holster. To cock these stingers you simply unscrewed the back cap, pulled it back, and then screwed it back in. There was a safety and a trigger and you had to rotate the safety ring and squeeze the trigger at the same time to fire the gun. This was easily done in the palm of your hand and added a very safe carry mode to firearms which are often quite dangerous to carry loaded- when they are most needed there is no time to load a pen gun! At close range these little guns can be deadly enough if you get a clear shot to the vitals of your attacker.